Melody Petersen
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 I spent the first several years of my career doing full-time research on brain serotonin metabolism, but I never saw any convincing evidence that any psychiatric disorder, including depression, results from a deficiency of brain serotonin," said Dr. David Burns, an adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, when he was asked about the serotonin imbalance theory in 2003. "In fact, we cannot measure brain serotonin levels in living human beings so there is no way to test this theory. |
Andreas Moritz
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 Unlike melatonin, serotonin increases with the light of day; physical exercise and sugar also stimulate it. If you get up late in the morning, the resultant lack of exposure to sufficient amounts of daylight reduces your serotonin levels during the day. Moreover, since melatonin is a breakdown product of serotonin, this habit of rising late also lowers the levels of melatonin during the night.
Any deviation from the circadian rhythms causes abnormal secretions of the important brain hormones melatonin and serotonin. |
| Apart from making melatonin, the brain also synthesizes serotonin, which is a very important neurotransmitter/hormone related to our state of physical and emotional well-being. It affects day and night rhythms, sexual behavior, memory, appetite, impulsiveness, fear, and even suicidal tendencies. Unlike melatonin, serotonin increases with the light of day; physical exercise and sugar also stimulate it. If you get up late in the morning, the resultant lack of exposure to sufficient amounts of daylight reduces your serotonin levels during the day. |
Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
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| Current research suggests serotonin plays a key role in the motor-sensory and excretory functions of the digestive tract and that damaged receptor sites may contribute to the onset of IBS. In fact, "Serotonin is... a vital link in the brain-gut axis."13 Imbal-anced serotonin levels may therefore lead to increased abdominal discomfort and bowel movement difficulty.
According to medical science, no specific cause of IBS has been identified, although some theories suggest many people with IBS may be overly sensitive to certain substances that do not bother the typical digestive system. |
Dr. Steven R. Gundry
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 John's Wort It's the largest selling antidepressant in Germany, and does indeed work on mild to moderate depression by elevating the levels of serotonin in the brain, much like the SSRIs such as Lexapro and Prozac. You'll recall that sugar increases serotonin levels, making us temporarily less depressed; conversely, dieters get grouchy because their serotonin levels fall. When supplementing with St. John's Wort, some of my patients—and I-report diminished sugar urges; others didn't notice such an effect. |
Dr Ron Roberts
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 Research by Dr Leslie Hawkins at the University of Surrey, UK, showed that levels of the hormone serotonin in the blood, brain and other tissues seemed to be reduced by negative ions. serotonin is a substance that plays a part in brain chemistry, and imbalances in it lead to depression and other mental disturbances. Dr Hawkins suggested that air rich in negative ions has a stimulating effect while too many positive ions, and thus high levels of serotonin in the body, are depressing. This may explain why ionisers help in cases of irritability and stress. |
Andreas Moritz
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| If you get up late in the morning, the resultant lack of exposure to sufficient amounts of daylight reduces your serotonin levels during the day. Moreover, since melatonin is a breakdown product of serotonin, this habit of rising late also lowers the levels of melatonin during the night.
Any deviation from the circadian rhythms causes abnormal secretions of the important brain hormones melatonin and serotonin. This, in turn, leads to disturbed biological rhythms, which can upset the harmonious functioning of the entire organism, including metabolism and endocrine balance. |
Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith
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 It's also well known in the medical community that excessively elevated serotonin levels
(from Prozac or other SSRIs) can cause suicidal depression the same way too low of a level of serotonin can. Which begs the question: Could some of the suicides blamed on these antidepressants have been prevented with simple genetic testing for the gene that's responsible for the detox enzyme? I personally think so.
Interestingly, on the other hand, some folks make too much of this enzyme (as well as other enzymes) and require higher doses of drugs for the therapeutic benefit. |
Ray Moynihan and Alan Cassels
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 Healy maintains that early theories suggesting that a serotonin imbalance causes depression have not been verified by later research. While acknowledging a role for biological causes, Healy argues that the serotonin theory has been overplayed in order to help sell the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs, including Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. It's been overplayed because companies realize it makes "wonderful marketing copy" he says.27 "It's the kind of thing that a GP [family physician] can use when they're trying to persuade a person to have pills. |
Bottom Line Health
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| Zelnorm is one of a new class of drugs called serotonin-4 receptor agonists, which activate receptors for serotonin, a relaxing neurotransmitter, in the digestive tract. This action is thought to normalize digestive tract movement.
Studies involving Zelnorm show a mild benefit, such as improved bowel movements and reduced abdominal pain, discomfort and bloating, but the drug's long-term safety and effectiveness have not been established. The most common side effects include headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and dizziness. |
Andreas Moritz
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| Moreover, since melatonin is a breakdown product of serotonin, this habit of rising late also lowers the levels of melatonin during the night.
Any deviation from the circadian rhythms causes abnormal secretions of the important brain hormones melatonin and serotonin. This, in turn, leads to disturbed biological rhythms, which can upset the harmonious functioning of the entire organism, including metabolism and endocrine balance. Suddenly, you may feel "out of synch" and become susceptible to a wide range of disorders, from a simple headache to depression to a fully grown tumor. |
Bottom Line Health
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| They work by increasing the activity of serotonin, a brain chemical that is linked to depression. SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), paroxetine (Paxil) and citalopram (Celexa). In 2002, escitalopram (Lexapro) joined this group.
Drugs that work on other brain chemicals instead of, or in addition to, serotonin include bupropion (Wellbutrin), venlafaxine (Effexor), mirtazapine(Remeron) and the newest, duloxe-tine (Cymbalta), which was introduced in 2004.
FINDING THE RIGHT MEDICATION
Individuals respond differently to antidepressants. |
Dr. Abram Hoffer, MD, FRCP (C) and Dr. Harold D. Foster, PhD
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 At low levels, serotonin appears to stimulate adrenochrome formation, while at higher levels it retards the process. Adrenochrome also generates numerous free radicals, causing oxidative stress, eventually exhausting the schizophrenic antioxidant defense systems, creating deficiencies of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. Complicating the impacts of high adrenochrome conversion from adrenaline are the numerous interactions that normally occur between triiodothyronine, serotonin, and the three major components of the antioxidant defense system. |
Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith
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| It's also well known in the medical community that excessively elevated serotonin levels
(from Prozac or other SSRIs) can cause suicidal depression the same way too low of a level of serotonin can. Which begs the question: Could some of the suicides blamed on these antidepressants have been prevented with simple genetic testing for the gene that's responsible for the detox enzyme? I personally think so.
Interestingly, on the other hand, some folks make too much of this enzyme (as well as other enzymes) and require higher doses of drugs for the therapeutic benefit. |
Luca Turin
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 The question was: since serotonin contains an indole nucleus, why doesn't serotonin smell of indole? As it turned out, she had made a trivial mistake, which I pointed out. serotonin is nonvolatile. Her reaction was extraordinary: she crossed her arms against her body in a caricature of a childish sulk. By this time things were so heated that everyone laughed, whether at her gesture or at her failure to land the punch I do not know. She looked even more upset, understandably.
After the meeting in India, things resumed their deathly quiet, and I busied myself in switching departments. |
Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN
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| In fact, "Serotonin is... a vital link in the brain-gut axis."13 Imbal-anced serotonin levels may therefore lead to increased abdominal discomfort and bowel movement difficulty.
According to medical science, no specific cause of IBS has been identified, although some theories suggest many people with IBS may be overly sensitive to certain substances that do not bother the typical digestive system. Stress, large meals, gas, medicines, certain foods, coffee, milk, and alcohol are some of the many stimuli that can irritate the colon. |
| DEFINITION
Serotonin: a chemical hormone that carries messages from one part of your body to another. serotonin helps regulate emotions, body temperature, sexuality, appetite, and bowel function.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), also called "spastic colon," is characterized by mild but persistent problems in the gut. IBS symptoms may even pose long-term danger to the colon, and IBS can seriously interfere with the everyday lives of people with the condition. |
Dr. Steven R. Gundry
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| You'll recall that sugar increases serotonin levels, making us temporarily less depressed; conversely, dieters get grouchy because their serotonin levels fall. When supplementing with St. John's Wort, some of my patients—and I-report diminished sugar urges; others didn't notice such an effect. The only side effects I've seen are two cases of a mild skin rash that immediately resolved upon stopping the supplement. Dosage:300 mg three times a day
SAM-e S-adenoslymethionine (no wonder they call it SAM-e), is a compound produced by our cells and not found in abundance in our diet. |
Mehmet C. Oz., M.D. and Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
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 A precursor to the feel-good chemical serotonin, it can be controlled by drugs that stimulate the serotonin system. When they're working correctly, these aid digestion by stimulating more neurons, releasing nitric oxide (which aids anal relaxation), and releasing a substance called acetylcholine, which helps stimulate colon contractions so you can go to the bathroom. It also allows you to move gas through the intestines without sensing discomfort.
As food enters your stomach from your esophagus, your stomach mixes it up. |
Dr. Abram Hoffer, MD, FRCP (C) and Dr. Harold D. Foster, PhD
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| Adrenochrome also has a Jekyll and Hyde relationship with serotonin and, so, impacts on tryptophan and its other chief metabolite, niacin. At low levels, serotonin appears to stimulate adrenochrome formation, while at higher levels it retards the process. Adrenochrome also generates numerous free radicals, causing oxidative stress, eventually exhausting the schizophrenic antioxidant defense systems, creating deficiencies of glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. |
Craig Pepin-Donat
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 Serotonin controls mood and is the primary target of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) commonly used to treat depression. Endorphins help regulate pain and also give us that feeling of euphoria often related to the positive affects of physical activity, an effect also known as the "runner's high."
One of the most important neurotransmitters is dopamine. Controlling emotional responses, dopamine affects our ability to experience pleasure and pain. It appears that dopamine is a major contributor to the behaviors espoused in Freud's pleasure and reality principles. |
Bottom Line Health
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| These drugs increase brain concentrations of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood.
However, a new study shows that men don't appear to benefit from SSRIs as much as women—perhaps because men are known to have approximately 50% more brain serotonin than women. Therefore, increasing the levels of this neurotransmitter through drug therapy has relatively modest effects in men.
Best advice: Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline (Elavil) or nortriptyline (Pamelor), are often better choices for men. |
Sophie D. Coe and Michael D. Coe
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 He finds that the caffeine, theobromine, serotonin, and phenylethylamine that chocolate contains make it a tonic, and an anti-depressive and anti-stress agent, enhancing pleasurable activities, including making love. serotonin is a mood-lifting hormone produced naturally by the brain; phenylethylamine is similar to other mood-changing brain chemicals. Future research may show whether there is any truth in the claims that chocolate has an aphrodisiac effect. |
Ray Strand, M.D.
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 As when a physician uses Prozac and Zoloft together, the drugs will actually enhance each other's effect in the body, possibly leading to serotonin syndrome (serotonin excess), especially if the person combines the St. John's wort with an MAO inhibitor (Nardil or Parnate). Both St. John's wort and the antidepressants increase the levels of serotonin, which improves the patient's depression. Yet too much serotonin can create a syndrome of agitation, irritability, headache, and even confusion.15
As well, St. |
Mike Adams
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 Physician's Formulas, sent March 20, 2006, the FDA claims the following text is also a "health claim" that transforms a nutritional supplement into a drug:
"5-HTP converts into serotonin. serotonin has been studied in relation to depression. In fact, SSRI drugs such as Prozac work for depression by influencing serotonin levels."
This statement is also quite true, and yet the FDA demands it be censored under the threat of being prosecuted for violating federal laws. f ' / , I'l. |
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